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A social work scholar from HSD has been named one of the province's top academics for a groundbreaking University of Victoria drug-checking project that addresses BC's toxic drug crisis.

Bruce Wallace (pictured above), a professor in the School of Social Work and scientist the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, and Dennis Hore from UVic's Department of Chemistry, were named joint Ehor Boyanowsky Academic of the Year Award winners.

The Confederation of University Faculty Associations of British Columbia (CUFA BC) honour is among the most prestigious in the province for scholars. The pair were singled out for their groundbreaking drug-checking project, Substance.

"Their interdisciplinary team, consisting of students from social work, chemistry, public health, and computer science, created innovative public health responses using drug-checking technologies integrated with harm reduction strategies," CUFA BC said in their announcement.

"Their work has had a direct impact on community health and safety in BC."

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